Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-03-04


breaking out of the grove and riding off
on horse just as the conflict closed in.
Men belonging to the Overland had met
and talked to him east of Kearney. He
had three wounds, but seemed uncon-
srions of them as he briefly related the
stu, of the fight, and vowed that he
would have tile lives Of five Indians tor
every white person who had perished.
Nothing was heard of him until June
of the following year. l was then in
government employ as scout and dis
patch rider, and was on the Smoky Hill
Fork of the Kansas river, twenty miles
west Of Fort Mcpherson. riding with
two other scouts, when we came upon
Grim Walker. He lad gone east after
the massacre, and had built for himself
a bullet. proof wagon. 1t was great
cage OH wheels, and everything about 1t
was made of iron. Wheels, box, bot
tom, top-every part OF il was bullet
proof. 1t was pierced or loopholed in
fifty places for musketry, ventilated at
the top and was drawn By four mules.
The man must have had considerable
means at his disposal TO pay for vehi-
Gle like that, and he had come all the
way from Council Bluffs alone. The
interior was fitted up with sleeping
berth, iron tanks for holding food and
water, and he had come back TO the
plains TO keep his vow. But for his
grimness the idea would have raised
laugh. He must have been en- route Tor
many long days, and he certainly had
passed through many perils.
We heard afterward that as he reached
the fort one afternoon, and it became
known that he would push on, every
effort was made TO dissuade him. For
time he was silent, grim, deaf. Then
he pointed to the northeast and said:
"There lie the bones Of my children
and friends, and | will not rest until
have avenged them thrice over"
They told him the country was alive
with hostiles, and that every rod OF the
way was beset with perils; but as the
sun went down he harnessed his mules
to the iron tongue, climbed into the sad
die, and without a nod Of farewell to
any one he rode to the west in the gath
ering gloom-more grim, more deter
mined, more of devil than human
being. He had travelled COOL share
of the night over country in which
death lurked in every ravine; but the
watchful savages had not espied him.
He had travelled until mid-afternoon
next day along trail where savages
outnunbered the snakes twenty to one,
but somehow they had missed him. We
were riding at full speed for the fort,
keeping the shelter OF the dry ravines
and rhe valleys, and expecting at any
moment to be pursued when we ran
upon Grim Walker. His wagon stood
on ;he open prairie, at least half mile
from the river and the shelter OF the
cotton woods. The four mules had been
embarrassed and turned out 10 Craze,
and the man was cooking his supper at
a campfire, the smoke of which would
draw Indians for ten miles around.
Our astonishment when we found him
there alone kept us dumb for a few min
utes. We sat on our horses and stared
at him, and he gree,ed our presence by
mere nod. When | recognized him
as Grim Walker began to suspect the
enterprise he had on foot, and after
had put few questions he briefly ex-
planned:
81 am here to kill Indians. You can
look my wagon over If you care to-"
1t was what | have described. He
had barrel or more OF fresh water,
lot of -four and meat, small stove to
cook on and a perfect arsenal OF hre-
arms. IL was evident that the Indians
could not get at him with bullets, nor
tomahawk, nor fire, and it would take
weeks 10 starve him out. There was
only one thing that troubled the man.
His stock would be killed off at once
when he was attacked, and he would
then have no way Of moving his wagon.
We helped him out Of his dilemma by
agreeing TO take the animals TO the fort.
The harnesses we're piled into his house,
and il was understood that he would
come for the mules when he wanted
them. He had compass, and We gave
him the exact bearings, and as we rode
away he YVES preparing to toast another
piece of meat, seemingly utterly uncon-
cerned over the dangers surround
ings. As to what happened him during
the next three weeks had few meagre
details from his own lips, but plenty
of information from warriors who after
ward became "friendly." That Is,
when licked out of their boots half
dozen times, their villages destroyed,
many of their ponies shot, and their
so Jaws and children driven to temporary
starvation, they cried for peace in order
to recruit and make ready for another
campaign.
The campfire which Grim Walker
built saved the three Of ms from being
ambushcd. A warrior told me that
forty savages were between us and the
fort when the smoke led them TO believe
that large party of Immigrants must
be camped In the bottoms. II could
only be large party which would dare
build such fire in hostile country.
The warriors were all drawn Of by a
signal to attack the larger game, and
before sundown that evening 200 muir